Lyr Req: Woolwich Ferry

Subject: Woolwich Ferry
From: Essex Girl
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 09:12 AM

I have been asked to find the words to a song about Woolwich Ferry. Has anybody heard of it?

Subject: RE: Woolwich Ferry
From: Snuffy
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 09:19 AM

Hi Linda

Nearest I can get is a verse of Ron Shuttleworth's Shantymen Bold goes something like this:

We've sung on the Victory in dry dock in Portsmouth
On Cutty Sark likewise we've all done our thing
But when we go to Greenwich we go through the tunnel
If we went on the ferry we'd be too sick to sing.

Subject: RE: Woolwich Ferry
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:19 AM

I did not know there was one. I hope it gets posted.
I altered the first verse of Sweet Thames for my better half to include a reference to the ferry after we made a crossing in summer.
For those who do not know, it is a free ferry with fine views of the Thames Barrier, City Airport, Dome, Eye and other sites.
Keith.

Subject: RE: Woolwich Ferry
From: MMario
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:37 AM

I found references to a 'Woolrich Ferry Waltz' - but googling on "Woolrich ferry" plus "lyrics" yielded me nothing...

Subject: RE: Woolwich Ferry
From: Dead Horse
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 08:33 PM

Does it have the lines>
Methinks I see that Sailor Ben, steering his old wherry
Once Dick, his mate, did navigate, aboard the Woolwich Ferry?

Subject: RE: Woolwich Ferry
From: GUEST,Iver
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:42 PM

This probably is completely unrelated but there is a town of Woolwich in Maine, USA. It is on the Kennebec River and was settled in the early 18th century. From it's early days of settlement until the early-mid 1900s there was a ferry across the river from the the town of Bath (of course, both towns were named after the English towns). It's a long shot but any chance the song could refer to the US Woolwich instead?

Subject: RE: lyr req: Woolwich Ferry
From: Essex Girl
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 06:10 AM

No, according to Barry (Skinners Rats) it is about Woolwich Ferry - which still runs. Just have to keep trying.

Subject: RE: lyr req: Woolwich Ferry
From: GUEST,Mingulay
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 07:16 AM

Just throwing in twopennorth, there is a song about the Woolwich ferry and I have heard someone do it locally ie West London. Can't for the life of me remember who or where but Twickers springs to mind. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woolwich Ferry
From: Essex Girl
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 08:34 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woolwich Ferry
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 16 - 10:13 AM

Woolwich Ferry, by Swinging the Lead. Written by Dave Webb and it is on the Danger CD.

Subject: Lyr Add: WOOLWICH FERRY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 11:50 AM

Found on Spotify, YouTube and ReverbNation:


WOOLWICH FERRY (100 TIMES A DAY)
As recorded by Swinging the Lead on "Danger" (2015)

1. A nice young fella named William Brown,
He lived with his mum in Silvertown.
From the day that he was born,
He dreamt of going around Cape Horn.

CHORUS: He sails across the river,
He sails across the river,
He sails across the river,
A hundred times a day.

2. Now Woolwich ain't the place to be
If you dream of the sun and the sand and the sea.
He wanted a girl in ev'ry port,
But the furthest he got was Tilbury Fort.

3. The cars and the lorries Willie parks is fine(?).
He loads them on just two at a time.
He tells them it's the place to be,
'Cause out in the middle it's duty free.

4. He avoids the ships going down on the tide,
And wishes he could go for a ride.
He sailed upstream one day for a lark,
And moored alongside the Cutty Sark.

5. When the ferry's delayed and you're late for work,
And a lorry's just crashed in the back of your Merc,
You look up to the sky in the funnel
And wish you'd gone through the Blackwall Tunnel.

6. The boss he said: "You're late again.
Don't blame it on the weather and the wind and the rain."
You get to the ferry, get off your bike,
Only to find that they're all on strike.

7. He sails across the briny foam,
But not when Charlton play at home.
He'll watch them play at any cost,
Then he goes home when his team had lost.


[YouTube also has several videos of the actual ferry.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woolwich Ferry
From: leeneia
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 12:09 PM

Thanks, Jim.

I think the 3rd verse starts with this:

The cars and lorries, well, he parks just fine.
================
The tune for the chorus is almost exactly the same as "Round and Round the Village. "

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woolwich Ferry
From: GUEST,Dave Webb.
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 10:14 AM

I am flattered that my song is getting an airing.
The 3rd verse is "The cars and the lorries well he parks just fine".
Dave Webb
Swinging the Lead.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woolwich Ferry
From: GUEST,Pete from seven stars link
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 11:22 AM

So perhaps it was our William that used to edge me up close when I used to be an HGV driver !